Wagashi Forest Introduction
The red tea master, Ishizaki Ko, graduated from the "Tea Industry Training Institute" in his early years. In 1951, he was assigned by the Japanese to work at the "Chimu Black Tea Factory", inheriting the tea-making techniques from Japanese masters. He served as the "Factory Director" until his retirement, witnessing both the prosperity and decline of the Sun Moon Lake black tea industry with his passion and persistence for black tea. Once, Sun Moon Lake black tea was extremely popular, flourishing from the early Japanese occupation's cultivation efforts to the prosperous era of tea gardens in the 1960s. However, due to significant changes in the tea industry and the influx of cheap foreign tea, the Sun Moon Lake black tea industry gradually declined. After six decades of growing and producing tea, the old tea master, cherishing his love for the land and hope for the industry, persistently chose to grow tea, believing that black tea would one day regain its splendor. For the couple, Ishizaki Ju-Hua and Chen Yan-Chuan, who carry on the legacy of two generations, they uphold the craftsmanship and tea-making techniques of their father. They are determined not only to brew good tea but also to ensure that high-quality tea is recognized, aiming to create a new vision for Sun Moon Lake black tea. In 2015, they established a tourist tea factory that serves as a place to witness the historical and cultural development of the Sun Moon Lake black tea industry, helping more people understand the knowledge of the black tea industry and contribute to the local cultural heritage, further promoting the Sun Moon Lake black tea culture and showcasing the revival of tea artistry to the world.
